Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Was Barnabas Right? Part 4

In 1972, Jack Hyles, pastor of the largest church in the world (at that time) opened a Bible college. One of the first students was a former Baptist pastor who had been fired after being caught in adultery. He had gone to Hyles for advice, and Hyles told him to enroll in the college; if he graduated, they would have to tell what had happened, but Hyles would give him a recommendation.

A few months later, the fellow went to Hyles and confessed that he had been to a prostitute, and Hyles expelled him. Some of the man's friends went to Hyles, asking him to reverse his decision. They pointed out that the man's repentance was genuine.

Hyles told them that he believed that the man's repentance was genuine, but that no one could ever trust him.

Should Hyles have let him continue? Should he even have let him into the college in the first place?

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Was Barnabas Right? Part 3

I was saved when I was sixteen, and a few months later was watching Billy Graham having "Youth Night" on TV. Graham Said "If you lie, you can go back and tell the truth. If you steal, you can go back and repay. But if you commit immorality, you can never undo it!" He stated repeatedly that he had talked to many young people who told him that they wished they could undo their immorality but couldn't.

That teaching, that certain sins can never be undone, made a valuable impression on me that never wore off.